Policies

This grading policy conforms to the Stuyvesant HS History Department’s guidelines. Your grade will be actively updated at Schoology.com based on the categories and values described below.

HGS and HUS Curriculum sequence can be viewed by clicking the appropriate course designation.

A. Mid-Term/ End of Term Examinations…

30% (for HUS) 35% (for HGS) of course grade These assessments will be administered in class on our scheduled test day (Friday) in paper form, or digitally via the Internet (for Home or In-Class administration).

Students will be allowed in most instances to use select materials like maps and tables, created in class or provided by Mr.V, to complete the assessments.

The Mid-Term assessment will focus on our studies up to that point in the semester. The designated date for administering will be posted on the course calendar.

The End-of-Term assessment will focus on our studies between the Mid-Term and End-of-Term assessments. The designated date for administering will be posted on the course calendar.

Both assessments will be constructed with pertinent short-anwser questions.

Makeup sessions will be scheduled if a parental excuse note is provided in a timely fashion after returning to class. Students are responsible for arranging makeups with Mr.V.

The Social Studies Department chairperson always reserves the right to determine how an End-of-Term assessment will be administered (In-Class Final Exam, Standardized Department Final Exam, etc.)

If your course ends with a Regent exam, the score will count as a single assessment grade and be averaged with all other course assessments.

B. ClassDojo…

(Extra Credit)The total points accumulated (25 points maximum) will be multiplied by a factor of 4 to equal ‘100’ and inputted as a distinct assessment grade alongside the Mid-Term and End-of-Term. Each student must strive to achieve the 25 points necessary for the maximum benefit. Any point totals falling short of ’25’ will be divided by a factor of 4 and the quotient added to an earlier assessment score as extra credit.

Students can earn Class Dojo points by participating regularly in class (raising hands to offer substantive commentary, rebuttals, and responses). In addition, any activity that requires a student to present information to the class (by writing on the board, digital screen, or presenting results from a collaborative exercise) will earn points. Of course, if students are not focused, prepared, or engaged during group activities, points will be taken from the student’s accumulated horde.

If well organized students feel confident enough to apply ClassDojo points on the scores of the Midterm Exams, they can do so with certain caveats:

First, if ClassDojo points are to be used on the Midterm exam, the exchange rate is 2 ClassDojo points for 1 exam point. (Fall/ Spring Semester)

Second, if a student wishes to use ClassDojo points on a Midterm exam, the student has limited amounts of time to get the transaction done. Mr.V will announce the time constraints when the Midterm results are returned to students.

Students and parents are encouraged to keep track of Class Dojo points via the Class Dojo application. Students and parents can only view a limited period of point accumulations. Therefore, checking the totals once per week and then adding the weekly totals will provide an approximate overview. On occasion, Mr.V can provide an update whenever a student or parent requests it via the Schoology messaging feature. Parents, additionally, can make the request and otherwise converse with Mr.V via the Class Dojo messaging feature.

Since this is ‘Extra Credit’, it’s not subject to any other governing parameter beyond Mr.V’s observation.

Class Dojo points will be calculated and applied for the 3rd Marking Period (3rd MP) only since it is the most important grading period. Whenever a student’s 3rd MP average requires that Mr.V ’round-up’ or ’round-down’, he will take action based on the student’s ClassDojo status. If the student has a positive (+) ClassDojo account balance, Mr.V will round-up their course average. If the student has a negative (-) ClassDojo account balance, Mr.V will round-down their course average.

In addition, ClassDojo point totals will enhance other evaluative elements of the term, to include SSR commentary, recommendations for extra-curricula activities, etc.

Be sure to remind Mr.V to show the class some examples of the actions that will add or remove ClassDojo points from their accounts.

C. Preparedness…

37% (for HUS) 35% (for HGS) of final course grade This entails coming to class with the requisite assignments completed. In addition, you should have all the necessary materials to complete the day’s course work. Preparedness, therefore, will positively or negatively impact your overall performance.

Homework is assigned to create a base of knowledge. When homework is completed, that information is later used in class activities, examinations, and projects. If you don’t have the assigned homework when due you are then unprepared. If you wish to makeup an assignment, please speak with Mr.V.

“POP” (unannounced) quizzes will be administered during each of the Marking Periods. Quizzes count toward preparedness since students are permitted to use their notebooks while completing them (eg. lesson notes, homework, maps, etc.). These quizzes will be administered predominantly via the Socrative Web service.

This applies to FTerm HGS students only. Notebook evaluations will be part of this category if they are scheduled for the term. Your notebook will be in a digital form. Among the files you are expected to organize and store in the digital notebook are lesson notes (with handouts) and assignments. During a notebook check, your notebook will be collected and inspected for completeness, organization, and overall usability. The notebook’s importance cannot be overstated- it’s impact is broad and substantive. Successful students have an organized notebook containing the course content reviewed during the term. Mr.V will discuss how to construct and organize the notebook. Be sure to ask questions and/ or request to speak with Mr.V during his Office Hours.

33% (for HUS) 30% (for HGS) of final course grade Students are expected to contribute substantively to digital conversations that result from our use of computer applications. These applications include, but are not limited to: Fremind, Verso, Ponder, Socrative, and Clio.

These applications are primarily research and team-oriented tools. They will help us to collaboratively create/ gather content, organize the content, and then share the content. Ultimately, the applications will archive the digital content for your future academic review and test prep.

Making-Up Assignments

Students are responsible for arranging makeups of work missed during an absence.

The course calendar will show the schedule of makeup sessions. If you have to take a makeup exam and already submitted an accepted excuse note to Mr.V, then follow the posted instructions when they appear on the course calendar.

Communicating with Mr.V

To ensure that Mr.V can communicate with you with minimal confusion and lost messages, students must use the Schoology messaging feature.

To ensure that Mr.V can communicate with parents with minimal confusion and lost messages, parents must use the ClassDojo messaging feature.